Based on the Universal crowds, just how much is Disney now on the defensive?
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Universal Puts Disney's Reopening on Defensive
- Thread starter WDW Pro
- Start date
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Burning money and putting the resort at risk of being the center of an outbreak? No thanks.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
How’s universal doing? Are they losing money having the parks open?
Miss Bella
Well-Known Member
They probably are, but at some point, they had to open. I think crowds will increase when WDW opens. I was going to go to Universal at the end of June, but decided to wait and combine it with my WDW vacation in August.
I'm spending 4 nights at Universal and 7 at WDW. I live out west so once WDW announced they were opening it didn't make sense to make two trips. Had WDW not opened I would still be taking my June trip to Universal.
If they're after the same thing Disney is, it's not about not losing money, it's about reducing the rate of loss. eg: if by being closed, they lose 1M/day, but by opening they only lose a net 500k/day (including operational costs), then it's an economic win.
Universal was in a worse position than Disney, as they continued paying their employees.
Ldno
Well-Known Member
I Mean things might not look for Disney since some parts of the US that were planning on reopening and all of a sudden we are seeing a spike in covid cases, heck Houston is re considering closing the city again, just imagine what it’ll do to all theme parks who haven’t had a chance to reopen. All of a sudden July seems so far away
GoofGoof
Premium Member
That’s a good question. They don’t own the hotels so it’s parks and food/merchandise. It depends on how many of the guests are local AP holders vs unique guests buying new tickets. If you look at the airlines they are not talking optimistically about this summer, more looking at ramping up next year so it may be a while before Universal parks start turning a good profit again. They get money from 3rd party vendors like Loews for the hotels and the restaurant owners at City Walk.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
They own the hotels they just don't operate them. They also own and operate several restaurants/stores in Citywalk
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Universal has a non-controlling interest in the hotels. They are majority owned and operated by Loews. Either way, it’s a completely different situation from Disney who has 5,000 timeshare rooms and 25,000+ hotel rooms to go with the theme parks. Universal needs to make a much larger share of their money from park admission.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Looks like they could have used a reservations system.
Mouse Trap
Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Aquatica
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
Water parks should not have reopened.
disneygeek90
Well-Known Member
Yikes.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Other parks not enforcing their own rules will make it that much more difficult for Disney when they reopen and say to people that they're not doing things like fireworks to maintain social distancing. People won't care, they'll want the full park experience.
raymusiccity
Well-Known Member
I don't think any resort is at risk for getting blamed for any case of contracting the virus. How could you prove the virus wasn't transmitted on the plane, at a local restaurant, rental car, taxi, side trip to Universal, or even the day you left home. 'Contact tracing' is impossible the instant you leave for any vacation.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
I don't think any resort is at risk for getting blamed for any case of contracting the virus. How could you prove the virus wasn't transmitted on the plane, at a local restaurant, rental car, taxi, side trip to Universal, or even the day you left home. 'Contact tracing' is impossible the instant you leave for any vacation.
Disneyland Measles Outbreak Hits 59 Cases And Counting
People from 7 months to 70 years old have fallen ill, and one quarter of the victims have been hospitalized. California officials say it's proof yet again of how easily measles spreads.
www.npr.org
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
Seriously??? Wow
GoofGoof
Premium Member
